What Is A Storm Without Lightning
by ChampionOfTheHearth
Summary: After the events of "Blood of Olympus" Thalia is emotionally spent. So she leaves for a while to spend time with family and try to be the teen she never got to be. At least for a while... But, her personal journey may provide more than she could have ever imagined.
1. A New Path

**A/N: Hey Y'all, my name is Champion and this a new Fic. Gasp, I'm alive? Yes, my faithful and strange readers (you for some reason read what I write) I am still kicking. And yes, the next SOTA chapter will be out soon. I had been wanting to write a Thalia centered Fic and Struck By Lightning by Vontar (Great Perlia Fic. Very realistic and well written. Check it out.) pushed me to do it. This is the result.**

 **I listened to Green Day while writing this because... Thalia. Boulevard of Broken Dreams and Still Breathing specifically. It seems to have worked. Hope you enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I, Champion Of The Hearth, do not own Percy Jackson and The Olympians or Heroes Of Olympus. They are the property of Rick Riordan, Disney Hyperion, and other involved parties. I do not own iPod, iPad, iPhone or other related material. They are the property of Apple. I also do not own any other copyrighted or trademarked material mentioned in this work of fanfiction. They are the property of their respective owners.**

 **Mouthful, wasn't it?**

 **Beta: StormCyclone21 did the initial grammar editing.**

 **Beta:** **CrystalHeartZyx: is responsible for the wonderful description, better grammar, and making this closer to what I imagined.**

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Those beautiful green eyes that had once held both the joy of life as well as it's sorrows, they now looked to me, lifeless. The haunting image faded until only the screams of my sisters remained, along with Orion's taunting, evil, laugh, ringing out within the endless darkness.

Suddenly, an arrow pierced my chest. I tried desperately to scream, but nothing came out, the laughter simply growing louder.

I sprang up from my sleep with a jolt, sweat coating my skin, panting hard as my heart raged within my chest, and my body shivering from something far worse than the cold.

I've had this nightmare countless times before. Each time Orion's taunting laugh grows louder. Each time I gaze into those green eyes longer.

I looked around in my tent. Nothing seemed different, even though so much was.

I sat up and got a drink of water from my canteen, my head clearing as the cool air swept over my damp skin.

"I can't do this anymore," I muttered to the empty air, as if saying it aloud made my thoughts real.

I needed a break. I needed to go somewhere different, somewhere I could act like the teenager I never got to be. Where, for at least a little while, I could at least pretend to be normal, as normal as I could, anyway.

I had to make a decision. Would I leave and try to find this place? Or would I stay, try to act tough and, slowly but surely, lose my mind?

I sat in silence, pondering this question. It felt like hours passed by as I got lost in thought, my mind endlessly wandering in circles, although I was sure only a few minutes at most had occurred.

The image of the arrow in my chest flashed before my eyes once more, the horrid laughter echoing in my head.

I made my decision.

Getting up from my cot and grabbing my duffle bag, I packed all my important belongings: my iPod, extra clothes, extra arrows, knives, some mortal money, and a few drachmas. I was running through my mental checklist when I caught a glimpse of my old punk outfit, the clothes I had been wearing when I joined the hunt.

I stared at the clothes as memories flooded through my mind. It would be the first step to my delusion of normality, I supposed.

I laid the clothes and the pack on my cot, before then to writing a couple of notes.

The first note was to the hunter who would find me missing, telling them to not search for me, that I would be fine, and to spread the word to not tell Lady Artemis of my absence unless directly questioned. That was an order. If the Lady did ask, they were to pass on the letter I addressed to her.

The second note was the one to Lady Artemis herself. It was a simple letter, stating that I would remain her lieutenant if she so desired, but that I needed time to myself, for my own personal reasons.

With those complete, I laid them on my cot in plain sight to be found once I had departed, and I grabbed my things, stepping toward the flap of my tent.

Pausing, I couldn't help but mutter, "I hope I won't regret this."

With that I stepped out of my tent and quietly headed in the direction of the river. I had to get the sweat off me, and I figured a quick wash might do me some good.

The river was a good ten-minute hike from camp. The air was cool outside, the fall temperature settling in along with the fact that the sun had yet to rise. The waxing moon shone down, almost full, allowing light for me to see my way. It made for a pleasant walk, almost enough to allow me to forget, if even for a second, the pain that constantly tormented me.

Almost.

When I reached the river, I stripped off my night clothes, the cool breeze forming goose bumps along my skin. I stared at the river and mentally prepared myself for what was to be very cold water. Just because I had done this many times before, didn't make it any easier. At best, I could prepare myself for the cold and tell myself I would get used to it, or that I'd be out sooner, the faster I finished.

I jumped in quickly before I could hesitate, like ripping off a bandage. It was quick, but Hades it was cold. If there was any part of me that was still asleep, it was awake now.

As quickly as I could, I scrubbed myself down, washing my hair and face. When I got out, the cold air made the icy feeling even worse.

I quickly dried myself and put on my punk clothes. Immediately, I felt more like my old self, before the tree. I tried to fix my hair as best I could from memory. Gods knew how it looked.

I was about to grab my pack when I realized something was missing. I frowned and looked around, hoping I wouldn't have to go back to the camp. I finally reached in my jacket pocket and smiled as I pulled out my missing fingerless gloves, slipping them on before grabbing my pack.

I took a deep breath, beginning what I knew was going to be a long trip.

-Ω-

The transition from the Lieutenant of Artemis to runaway daughter of Zeus was not very hard. I had been on the run for most of my life, after all, and the experience I had gained from being a hunter certainly helped as well. I didn't jump at every sound any more - of course, two wars can do that to you.

My plan, while simple, admittedly wasn't very good: go to the nearest bus, train, or taxi and manipulate the mist to get me a ride. The idea was to be on my way quickly, but my luck was only slightly better than my cousin's, which was not saying a lot. Things were never simple for demigods. In any case, a plan was a plan, and with nothing else to go on, I made my way forward.

The last time I had spoken to Annabeth, she had said that she and Percy were attending the University at Camp Jupiter. I still couldn't fathom how that kelp-head had gotten in, but I guessed Annabeth made him snap to. And maybe years of fighting monsters, Titans, Giants, and sometimes even the gods made a little studying and the prospect of school actually seem appealing.

It was great for them, but also a good thing for me, because the hunt was in the Pacific Northwest. It would be easier to get to Frisco than Manhattan from here, and it also gave me an excuse to see my little brother and tease him mercilessly.

I smiled at the thought, and walked a little faster.

-Ω-

The forest slowly merged into civilization. The trees gave way to homes, then the homes gave way to businesses. The town was small, but very busy. The streets were full, even this early in the morning. I asked an old lady outside a coffee shop if there was a bus or train station in town, and she gave me directions to the train depot on the other side of town.

30 minutes later I arrived at what seemed to be an ancient train station. The cashier looked hard at my clothes and greeted me. "Good morning. Where are you headed to day?" She asked.

I smiled at her. "Good morning, I need a ticket for the first thing headed to San Francisco. Best seat you have."

"Sure." She typed it up. "Long way from here. Business or pleasure?"

"I'm going to see family," I told her.

She nodded. "I hope you have a good time. That will be…" I mentally snapped the Mist into action, and she paused as it took affect, her vision and mind becoming clouded and malleable.

"I already paid you. I let you keep the change," I said to her.

Her eyes seemed to glaze over for a moment, before she blinked back to attention. "Oh, uh, what was I saying?"

"You were going to give me my ticket," I prompted, hoping her mind was weak enough to fall for it.

"Right," She muttered as she slipped my ticket through the glass. "I'm sorry, I must have zoned out. Your train departs at 9:40 this morning."

I smiled. "It's fine, happens to the best of us. Have a nice day."

One step closer to my well-deserved break. As I passed, I glanced at a clock. One hour and I would be on my way.

At just the thought, I smiled wider than I had in a long time.

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 **A/N: Thanks, if you made it this far. Seriously though, if you want a good Perlia Fic go check out Struck By Lightning and leave Vontar a review. After you Read and Review this of course.**


	2. The Journey

**A/N: My name is Champion and this is the second chapter of What Is A Storm Without Lighting. The first chapter has been edited. Nothing plot-wise has changed so you don't have to read it again. Just better grammar and descriptiveness, courtesy of CrystalHeartZyx.**

 **Boulevard Of Broken Dreams and Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) were written by Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool. Both are performed by Green Day. So I don't own them. I hope you Enjoy.**

 **Beta: CrystalHeartZxy**

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-β-

* * *

I was currently sitting in the train station of a town whose name I couldn't remember, sipping on a hot chocolate that I talked the local diner out of. The magazine I found was several years old, but it was a quiet way to kill some time, so I figured, why not?

I yawned as I glanced at the old dust-covered clock on the wall. Only ten more minutes until my train was expected to arrive.

The hour I waited was uneventful, thankfully.

When I went to get my drink, I saw people going through the regular motions of life. I envied all of them. Yet, I suppose, they would envy me too. The concept of the gods, inhuman powers, and saving the world might seem amazing for someone who doesn't have that kind of life. But if they knew what I've gone through, and shall go through for the rest of my life, I hope they would run like hell in the other direction.

But, should one poor mortal have a delusion of grandeur, I would be happy to trade places with them. They can have the evil stepmother, they can have the world ending every few days. I'll happily take the crappy 9 to 5 hour work days and pay the bills. The grass always looks greener on the other side, I guess.

The rest of the time waiting, I simply hung around in the train station, trying to slow my racing thoughts and failing miserably at it.

Thankfully, I was broken from my thoughts as the announcement came over that my train had arrived.

* * *

-β-

* * *

 _"I'm walking down the line,_  
 _That divides me somewhere in my mind,_  
 _On the border line_  
 _Of the edge_  
 _And where I walk alone"_

The words of the song resonated within my head as I laid in my cot, looking out the window at the passing landscape.

I was so glad that I told that girl I wanted the best seat. The small private cabin I was in had a cot, a window, and an outlet. It was certainly Spartan, but after living in the wilderness for years, it was luxury to me.

It was relaxing, the music drowning out my worries as I watched the world fly by. It seemed to make my mind clearer than it had been since the war. I was positive that Elysium was similar to this.

I used this moment of clarity to truly reflect on my current situation. The desire to run had been - and still was - so strong that I didn't really comprehend where my chosen path may lead.

Lady Artemis was sure to learn of my absence soon. I was unsure how she would react. While I always felt she thought of me as a sister, and maybe even a friend, she was an Olympian goddess and I was still a lowly mortal. Her reaction would be unpredictable.

Understanding at best.

Angry, betrayed, and vengeful at worst.

I assumed that, even if she was sympathetic towards the situation, my Lieutenant position was still in jeopardy. Not that I was very concerned. I didn't plan on going back anytime soon.

I shouldn't just drop in on Percy and Annabeth, I decided. That would not only be incredibly rude, but they had finally started to build a life for themselves, one without monsters, and quests, the gods, the fate of the world, etc. I couldn't let my problems disrupt their peace. I decided that it would be best to IM them and say I was coming to visit. If I couldn't bunk with them, I was sure my little brother could find me a place, if he was there.

I grabbed my bag and retrieved a small spray bottle and one drachma. You never know when you'll need to send an Iris Message, so I made sure to be prepared, just in case.

I misted the water in the sunlight shining through the window, my drachma ready at the first sign of a rainbow. After a few seconds, my eyes caught the colors beginning to form, and I tossed the coin into the mist.

It disappeared, so I recited, "Oh Iris goddess of the rainbow, accept my offering. Please show me Percy Jackson at Camp Jupiter."

The mist shimmered and a voice rang out, "One moment please."

The mist continued to gleam until an image started to form. Slowly, I could make out the unmistakable, wild black hair of the Son Of Poseidon. He had his back to me, sitting in a kitchen at a table with papers all over it.

"Kelp Head!" I shouted a little louder than I had intended, and though I hadn't meant to scare him, his response was priceless.

Faster than the eye could see, he yelped and jumped over the table. When he turned towards me, his pencil was brandished like a weapon (a natural response for someone who used a pen-sword, I suppose), his eyes darting around on alert. It was the single most hilarious thing I had ever seen.

That was, until I took a good look at his face.

Immediately, any joy I took from scaring him turned to regret. Percy looked like hell. His eyes were a paler green than I remembered, with bags and dark circles forming around them. The grey streak in his hair seemed to be larger, his posture tired and slumped.

At first, I thought that maybe college life was getting to him, but I know Percy. Having the fate of the world on his shoulders (twice) hadn't caused him to be this distressed, meaning whatever had him out of it must've been something terrible.

"Thalia?" He asked as his eyes cleared and his body to relax from his battle stance.

The sound of his voice was different than the Percy I knew. It was hollow and weak.

"Yeah, it's me Kelpy. Didn't mean to scare you," I said.

I felt really bad about that, and hoped it showed on my face. He looked to me for a moment, before then giving me a wide smile. The way his eyes brightened made me want to smile too. I didn't know why I smiled with him, it just felt right.

"It's alright Thals, I didn't mean to react that way…I'm just…lost in my thoughts, I guess," He trailed off. "But I'll be fine. And we haven't spoken in ages. How are you? Where's the hunt at?"

"Yeah Perce, it's been too long. I'm…okay. Been having bad dreams. Not demigod dreams, just bad memories. But I'll get through it. How have _you_ been?"

I tried showing my trust in him, as well as prolong the inevitable explanation of my circumstance.

"Tired. I'm really tired. Between college and…" At that, Percy hesitated, seeming to search for something after implying that there was another problem. "…other things."

The look on his face showed even he knew how lame that sounded. I had to tempt him into telling me what was wrong.

"What other things Perce? You aren't letting those Romans pick on you, are you? Don't make me bash their heads in," I half joked with a smile. It was doubtful that was the problem, but if it was, someone was going to die. It's that simple, no one messes with family.

"What!?" He shouted, alarmed.

Half joke or not, he knew I would do it if that was really the case.

"No Thals, it's nothing like that. I've just…" He rubbed the back of his neck. "I just haven't been sleeping and it's starting to mess with me. I think it's adjusting to college. Lot of stress, you know?" He said nervously.

As uncomfortable as he seemed, I knew that this wasn't the case. Maybe some of it, but not the whole story.

"Well I'm sorry to hear that."

Unsure of how I could continue, I sighed and decided that there was no use delaying the inevitable any longer. It shouldn't be too hard. Just keep cool.

"Perce?" I began. "Can I ask a favor?"

He scoffed. "Of course. You know family doesn't need to ask. What do you need?"

He sounded almost concerned, knowing it wasn't like me to ask for something.

"I need a place to crash for a while. Annabeth said you had an apartment in New Rome, so I thought I would ask. It's okay if you don't. I wouldn't want to disru-"

"Stop Thals," Percy interrupted. "You are welcome here any time, you got that? We have two bedrooms and we only use one. You won't be disrupting anything. In fact, I would love to see you, and I know Annabeth will too."

One less problem…

Then he continued, "So when's Lady Artemis giving you leave?"

"Uh…"

I was trying to think of what to say. It was really something I wanted to discuss in person. Telling him over an IM just didn't seem…right, I guess you could say. It was just really personal.

Racking my mind for a starting point, my thoughts were broken by a female voice.

"Please deposit one drachma to continue this call," The voice of Iris rang out.

"I gotta go. I'll see you when I get there. Tell Annie I said hello. Love ya Perce."

I swiped through the message.

Laying back down on my cot, I stared out the window again.

"Getting closer every minute," I muttered into the air.

I put my earphones back in. Green Day was still playing.

 _"It's something unpredictable,_  
 _But in the end it's right,_  
 _I hope you had,_

 _The time of your life"_

I laid my head back and said a quick thanks to Iris for saving me from having to explain things over an IM.

Since the music was drowning out my thoughts, I let myself drift off into sleep.

* * *

-β-

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 **A/N: If you made it this far I thank you. See y'all next time.**


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